Package or container



Sept. 21, 1937. .1. A. FARMER PACKAGE OR CONTAINER Original Filed Sept. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 21, 1937.

J. A. FARMER PACKAGE OR CONTAINER Original Filed Sept. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8.

p io 40 lllmilllmll'u i Patented Sept. 21, 1937 oFFic PACKAGE OR CONTAINER John A. Farmer, Lancaster, Pa.

6 Claims.

This invention relates to packages or containers, and more particularly to relatively small packages for fluent materials especially adapted for use in retail trade.

There are a large number of powdered, finely divided or granular materials which are commonly sold to the retail trade in packages and which the purchaser usually finds it desirable to use or dispense, little by little; Among such materials may be mentioned garden seed of many kinds, bird seed, fertilizers of various kinds, lime, insecticide and fungicide dust, certain other drugs and chemicals, and grocery products such as peas, beans, rice, tapioca and soap powder or flakes. v

One object of the present invention is to provide a package or container in which the finely divided material may be effectively sealed so as to prevent leakage, and from which, when desired, the material may be readily and conveniently poured or dispensed.

A further object is to provide a package of this character which can be cheaply manufactured and which shall be attractive in appearance and convenient to handle. I

A still further object is to provide a simple and effective means of closing or rescaling the package after part of the contents have been dispensed.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved bag complete;

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating how the bag may be cut to provide a pouring or dispensing opening;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cardboard blank from which the reinforcing tab hereinafter described is formed;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on an enlarged r scale, substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 1,

showing in detail the method of closing or sealing the package;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the top of the bag, as shown in Fig. 1, but with part of the tab broken away for the sake of clearness.

Fig. '7 is a similar View showing the top portion of the bag after the corner has been cut off, and illustrating my improved closing means; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the closing device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my inproved package comprises a bag I, formed of flexible material such as paper or cellulose sheeting, or a combination thereof, preferably having a fiat or satchel bottom 2, as shown. 5

In closing or sealing this bag, I proceed as follows. After the bag is filled, I bring together the upper edges or end portions of the bag in fiat relation, and may fold them over on themselves as indicated at 3 in Fig. 5. Ithen may secure them with staples such as shown at 3. I next cut a relatively stiff and resilient piece of cardboard or the like into a blank preferably of the shape shown in Fig. 4 and bend or fold it along a scored median line 5, as indicated in Fig. 15 4, to form a V-shaped reinforcing element or tab 4. This tab, which, as shown in Fig. l, is of a length equal to the full width of the bag, is then placed over the end portions 3 of the bag so as to straddle or embrace the same, as clearly shown in the drawings. This tab is then permanently secured to the end of the bag as by means of a plurality of additional fastening devices such as rivets'or staples 6, which, as shown in Fig. 5, extend through both legs of the tab and all thicknesses of the end portions of the bag. Thus, the tab completely encloses and reinforces the end of the bag, and effectively seals the same.

Preferably the end portions of the legs of the tab 4 are rounded; as shown at 4. This produces a neat and attractive appearance and eliminates the corners which would otherwise extend out beyond the sides of the filled portion of the bag. Furthermore, the rounded portions 4 are adapted to fit neatly against the sides of the flaring portion of the filled bag, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and thus causes the tab to conform closely with the natural shape of the bag. The tab forms a grip or handle 'by which the bag may be conveniently held or lifted. 40

In bags or packages for this class of material, as heretofore employed, great inconvenience has been encountered by the likelihood of spilling the material when the bag is opened, and by the difficulty of dispensing small quantities of material from the package as required, and at the same time preserving the unused portion lnthe package.

I propose to overcome the foregoing difilculties by sealing the bag as above described and by providing means by which a pouring or dispensing opening can be readily made. To this end, I preferably print or otherwise form on the tab 2. mark defining a line of severance, this being a diagonal line I, as shown in Fig. 1, and associate with this line suitable wording indicating that the corner of the bag, including the tab, is to be cut off along this line when it is desired to dispense the contents of the package.

5 Fig. 3 shows the appearance of the bag after this corner has been cut off, as by means of ordinary scissors. In removing the corner in this manner, the cut is made through both the tab and the end portions of the bag, thus providing a convenient opening through which as little or as much of the bag contents may be dispensed or poured as desired.

The rivet or staple 6 is preferably placed just inside of the line I, and is spaced a suflicient distance from the adjacent side edge of the bag to provide a pouring opening of suitable size.

My improved package is particularly useful where it is desired to pour out slowly or scatter the contents of the pacage, as in the case of seeds,

fertilizers, or the like.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6, '7 and 8, I have illustrated an improved device for closing or resealing the pouring opening 9, formed by cutting off a corner of the bag and tab, as above described.

This closing device consists of a spring clip l0 which, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, comprises a metal strip bent over upon itself to form two closely adjacent parallel legs connected by a curved head I0.

I propose to attach one of these spring clips to the finished package, as sent out from the factory, the preferred method of attachment being to straddle the clip over the end portions of the bag and frictionally engage it therewith, the clip preferably extending parallel with the edge of the bag, as shown in Fig. 6 and being housed within and concealed by the tab 4. Thus the clip is protected from accidental displacement and is frictionally held in position, although its head HI is accessible through the open end -of the tab 4.

It is frequently desirable, after forming the pouring opening 9, and dispensing a portion of the contents of the bag, to close or reseal such opening in order to preserve the remaining contents of the bag for subsequent use. A purchaser of my improved package can, therefore, when it is desired to close the pouring opening, grasp the head It of the clip and withdraw it from its stored position within the tab and apply it to the edges of the pouring opening 9, as shown in Fig. '7. Thus this pouring opening is effectively closed or sealed, and the remaining contents of the package may therefore be kept as long as desired.

What I claim is:

1. A container comprising a bag of flexible material having the end portions of. its sides brought together and folded over, and a relatively stiff 6O cardboard tab straddling and embracing the said folded-over portions of the bag and permanently secured thereto by means of fastening devices extending through the folded-over portions of the bag end and both legs of said tab.

2. The hereindescribed method of sealing and opening a flexible bag containing flnely divided material which comprises bringing the end portions of the filled bag together in flat relation, securing thereto a V-shaped tab of sheet material, said tab extending the full width of the bag and completely enclosing the end portions thereof, and finally providing a pouring opening by cutting off a corner of said tab and associated bag portions along a diagonal line.

3. A package comprising a bag of flexible material having the end portions of its sides brought together, a reinforcing and sealing member comprising a piece of sheet material bent along a median line to form a V-shaped tab, said tab straddling and embracing the said end portions of the bag and securely fastened thereto, whereby a corner of the tab and associated bag portions may be cut off to form a pouring opening, and a spring clip frictionally engaged with said end portions of the bag and housed within said V- shaped tab, said clip being removable through the open end of said tab and capable of being applied to the edges of said pouring opening to close the same.

4, A container comprising a bag of flexible material having the end portions of its sides brought together in fiat relation and folded over, and a separate piece of relatively stiff sheet material substantially co-extensive and assembled with the said folded-over portions of the bag and permanently secured directly thereto by fastening means extending through said sheet material and the folded-over portions of the bag at transversely spaced points.

5. A package comprising a bag of flexible material having the end portions of its sides brought together at the top in flat relation, and a reinforcing tab of sheet material of substantially the full width of the bag applied to the outside of the said end portions and secured thereto, said tab having a mark formed thereon defining a diagonal line of severance, along which line the corner of the tab and associated bag portions may be cut off to provide a pouring opening.

6. A package comprising a bag of flexible material having the end portions of its sides brought together at the top in fiat relation, a sealing tab of substantially the full width of the bag straddling and embracing said end portions and secured thereto, whereby the corner of the tab and associated bag portions may be cut off on a diagonal line to provide a pouring opening, and a spring clip normally housed at least partially within said tab and capable ofbeing removed and applied to the edges of said pouring opening to close the same.

JOHN A. FARMER, 

